On The Road (The Journey is Better with You)
by T-tawny
Summary: NaLu week prompt #1; On the Road. Natsu and Lucy take a road trip. Introspection, promises and a whole lot of feeling. Rated T for swearing.


**Somehow, I'm back with another fic.**

* * *

Lucy was stuck driving as Natsu, the glorious moron, had forgotten to take his travel sickness medication the allotted two hours before a journey and was currently dangling out the window bemoaning his self-made lot in life.

She had been driving for hours with nought but the sound of uneven road and Natsu's muffled groaning. She was also desperate for a pee but was refusing to go on the side of the road, even if it was behind a bush or a tree as apparently the scenic rout was also the route with no rest stops.

Happy, the lucky beast, travelled very well and was in the back sleeping in his combined carrier, bed plus litter box like a little king. Awful travel companion, not very chatty.

More time and trees passed, and Lucy was just considering abandoning all humanity and just go in the bush when Natsu made the decision for her with his first coherent sentence for miles.

"Lucy- urk- mercy, please"

She flicked her eyes to his slumped figure giving her the most pathetic, desperate look she had ever seen and flicked the indicator on, finally deviating from the straight road to further into the trees.

Her face slipped into a sympathetic smile "I'll pull over okay?" she indicated again.

"Uggghhhh"

The car rolled to a smooth, gentle stop (if she did say so herself) and the full extent of her full bladder hit her hard. The engine still running Lucy leapt out the car not even waiting to explain herself and dashed behind the nearest bush.

Natsu, abandoned at the car returned to himself; the hours of ill haze slipping from him like oil on water.

Senses returned; he noted the loss of his blonde car-mate "Lucy..?!" He called, and no, that wasn't panic in his voice.

"_HOLD ON!_"

Reassured that man-door-hand-hook-car-door-GUN wasn't a thing in this situation Natsu reached over and turned off the car. The cessation of comforting vibrations woke the final member of car who meowed his immediate desire for food.

Lucy, returning to the car feeling like a wild-woman, saw Natsu trying to feed Happy without accidentally letting him escape.

"Natsu, you know there is a special hatch for that right?" She squeezed hand sanitiser onto her hands, in an attempt to feel a modicum of cleanliness.

"Oh heya! Nah, I forgot but look! It's fine." Natsu gestured to the arm he had zipped into the enclosure.

She shot him a withering look.

Slipping his arm back through, successful in his Happy feeding mission, Natsu grinned. "So. Where are we?"

Lucy, head now located in the back of the car told him to check the Sat Nav. He did. Wasn't helpful. He went for a pee instead.

Not hearing the generic 'ohhhh' sound of understanding Lucy realised that it was a pointless exercise and so, withdrawing herself from the boot carrying snacks and his damn medication, went back to her seat and explained that they were currently North of Magnolia and still 200 miles from their destination.

Returning to the car, also using hand sanitiser (Lucy would kill him without) he jumped back into the passenger side and stole some Pringles and Cola from Lucy's hoard he also finally took his travel pills. While this meant Lucy wouldn't have to drive for a while, they had to wait two hours to even set off again.

"Hey, you notice that the trees look even taller when we aren't moving?"

"Nah, but that 'cause I wasn't even looking at 'em"

"Ah, of course." The withering look was back on her face.

"Sorry I've been, you know. Sorry"

"Don't worry about it silly, I didn't really mind it! Not necessarily the relative silence, but the driving was nice. I'm glad we have taken this way!" Lucy beamed, and Natsu was struck for a second before he grinned back.

A comfortable silence fell between them as they snacked and enjoyed the scenery; the road in front dipping and curving gently, the large trees that rustled with whispered secrets, and animals that were gone as soon as they appeared. It was beautiful, eerie, and perfect.

Lucy glanced at her companion; his face was lit by the lowering sun as it marched its way west-wards, casting it in a golden glow and bringing out the green in his hazel eyes.

"Natsu. I'm glad we have done this."

The truth was, this was their first trip together in years, their hectic lives leaving no room for the simple companionship of their high school and university days. They hadn't so much drifted, but none of them wanted to take the chance. So, their entire group of friends had made the plan to meet at their old university for some good old-fashioned reminiscing and tom foolery.

They had divided into small groups to save cost, choosing different modes of transport and so, as natural as the sea or sky Lucy and Natsu were together.

"Yeah same. Even though I hate cars, 'm glad it's with you." Natsu moved to face her with a gentle tilt of the head. Feeling heavy in the heart suddenly Natsu changed subjects. "Wanna play Shithead?" Raiding around the glove compartment Natsu pulled out a dogeared pack of cards.

"Well, we still have another hour and half before you can drive so, yeah I'll play Threes with you" Lucy said folding out the arm rest to work as a table.

"Shithead."

"Lucky Palace."

"Shit. Head."

"Johnny Bagel."

"_Shithead_!"

"Karma."

Natsu sighed dramatically, "Call it by it's real name Lucy, real name!"

"Just deal the cards dumbass" Lucy laughed, Natsu had always been able to make her feel like nothing had changed, and make her forget that time marches on.

* * *

45 minutes later and 4:3 win in Lucy's favour, they had moved onto gossip. Specifically, that revolving around their friends' relationships.

"Honestly. I swear on my honour as a reporter that Levy and Gajeel are together!"

"This the same Gajeel that pierced my ears when I was asleep back in the room-mate days because of a _DARE_? Ear stab-y Gajeel?!" Natsu being the hyper masculine man he was remembers waking and screaming bloody murder as the freakishly metal head stood above his bed with sharp weapons in his hands, and a maniacal 'gihi' echoing in the darkness.

"Yep!" Lucy snort-laughed at the flabbergasted look on Natsu's face as he cupped his still pierce ears (What, Gajeel did do a good job okay?)

"Okay moving on. Bet you didn't know that Laxus and Freed were together!" Natsu was particularly proud of this information.

"…"

"… what?"

"Natsu. Everyone knows that, remember Christmas?" Lucy asked wryly.

"Er" Natsu scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Dummy" Lucy laughed loudly, snorting gently causing Natsu to laugh too.

After switching sides, Natsu now sat behind the steering wheel and Lucy was zonked out on the passenger side (5 hours of non-stop driving did that to you).

The sun slipped further behind the forest tree line and Natsu was keen to start moving because scenic was only scenic if you weren't kinda creeped out.

Reaching awkwardly around to the back, seat Natsu made sure Happy was secured (slipping his hand in to pat his soft head) and tried to wait out the last 15 minutes until his medication kicked in.

The years since university weren't kind to any of them; they had all lost someone or something, and Natsu was _tired_. He was tired worrying about losing his friends to distance and separation, and he was tired of never being strong enough to protect everyone. His work in the Police was good, great even, Gray and Erza worked there too but he hardly saw them some days and he was frankly terrified of losing more people he loved.

Natsu gazed at Lucy, his heart heavy again for all his strength and bravery in the field he still couldn't tell her he loved her. The whisper came as the sun dropped fully; darkness and quite breathing filled the air

"I'm in love with you by the way Lucy, and I promise I will do anything for you."

Natsu started the car, and almost missed the quiet sleepy response;

"I love you too. Always have, and always will."

They met each other's eyes in the dark, lit only by the glowing dials on the car and 15 years of memories and moments stretched out like the road behind them, while the promise of many more lay before them as the journey ahead.

* * *

**Fin.**


End file.
